KC by the Numbers

2017 Ratings & Rankings

Best Chocolate in the U.S.
Christopher Elbow Chocolates ranks No. 4 on the “Best Chocolate in the U.S.” list by Food & Wine. The Dark Rocks Chocolate Bar helped them earn a spot. Food & Wine, December 2017

2017’s Best Sports Cities
Kansas City ranks on Best Sports Cities list and earns the top spot for soccer. View the comparison between 420 cities. WalletHub, December 2017

Best New Restaurants of 2017

Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room lands a spot on, "Best New Restaurants of 2017" list by Thrillist. See what ranked them as "Kansas City's Most Ambitious Restaurant." Thrillist, November 2017

The 13 Best Steakhouses in AmericaStock Hill is one of the 13 Best Steakhouses in America for its innovative appetizers and next-level customization options. Thrillist, November 2017

Critiki’s Ten Best Tiki Bars in the World 2017TikiCat landed the top spot on the Best Tiki Bars in the World for 2017. The top-tier, expectations-beating experience helped them land the No. 1 spot. Critiki, October 2017

9 Surprisingly Good U.S. Food Cities
Kansas City makes “9 Surprisingly Good U.S. Food Cities You Have to Visit” list by Thrillist. Arthur Bryant’s, Q39, SLAP’s, Bluestem, The Rieger, Antler Room, Happy Gillis and Ça Va helped KC make the list. Thrillist, September 2017

Best Cities for JobsKansas City ranks No. 3 in Best Cities for Jobs by Glassdoor. Rankings were based on number of job openings, job satisfaction, median base salary and median home value. Glassdoor, September 2017

North Kansas City Hospital Ranks Nationally Strategic Healthcare Programs awards Premier Performer Award to North Kansas City Hospital for achieving a patient satisfaction score ranking in top five percent of home health. North Kansas City Hospital, August 2017

ENR Midwest’s 2017 Contractor of the YearJE Dunn Construction Co. ranks as Contractor of the Year by Engineering News-Record Midwest with $1.3B in Midwest revenue and major 2017 projects assisting in the ranking. ENRMidwest, August 2017

College Consensus Identifies 2017-18 Best Colleges in MissouriKCADC investors University of Missouri and Northwest Missouri State University rank in top ten Best Colleges in Missouri by College Consensus. The list is based on respected college and student rankings. College Consensus, August 2017

Best Big Cities to Live InKansas City ranks among other Big U.S. cities in a survey by WalletHub. Rankings were built on affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life and safety. WalletHub, July 2017

Once Again, The Best in BBQLocal favorite, Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, is named the best barbecue restaurant in America by the New York Post. “Iconic” pulled pork, beef brisket and an emphasis on KC style slow smoked meats make Joe’s a top choice for barbecue fans nationwide. New York Post, July 2017

No. 2 City for High Wage Jobs
A recent article by Forbes names Kansas City as a hot spot for high wage jobs. With a 28.4 percent increase in growth since 2011, KC boasts more than 100,000 jobs in professional and business services. Forbes, June 2017

A Top 25 Town
Active lifestyle magazine, Outside, ranks Kansas City among the top 25 towns in the U.S. KC makes the list due to its low cost of living, emerging food and entertainment scene and numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation. Outside, June 2017

No. 4 City for Manufacturing Job Growth
According to Forbes, KC is a top city for growth in manufacturing based on recent economic trends and a three percent increase in sector jobs since 2016. Forbes, June 2017

No. 5 City for Tech Jobs
According to Money, Kansas City is a top market for jobs in the tech industry. With a median early career income of $57,200, the KC tech scene is a hub for project managers, engineers and developers. Money, June 2017

Top City for Tech and EntrepreneurshipKansas City ranks alongside Silicon Valley as a top tech city in the U.S., according to the Cushman & Wakefield Tech Cities 1.0 report. Access to talent, capital investment and opportunity for growth were all factors in determining the top cities. Cushman & Wakefield, June 2017

A Top 30 Place to LiveKC regional city Blue Springs, Missouri, is one of the top 30 places to live in the U.S. according to a recent listing by HomeUnion. Two key considerations for this report were quality of school districts and affordable housing. HomeUnion, May 2017

KC Home to a Top Roaster in AmericaAccording to a recent article by Men’s Journal, Kansas City's Thou Mayest ranks among the top 25 coffee roasters in America. Nestled in the Crossroads Arts District, “impressive coffee, gear and good vibes” set this shop apart from others. Men’s Journal, May 2017

No. 4 Best City for Startups in U.S.According to Entrepreneur Magazine, Kansas City ranks fourth among nine selected cities for startup companies. Within the last two years, 71 food based startups alone have sprouted in the KC region. Entrepreneur, May 2017

U-Haul Destination City
In a recent report by U-Haul, Kansas City ranks as the No. 9 Destination City for 2016. Results for this report are based on the number of one-way truck rentals, growing wages, cost of living, and the region's growing IT. U-Haul, May 2017

Top City for College GradsRecent college grads do not have to choose between a paycheck or a roof over their head in the Kansas City region. With a combination of good-paying jobs, affordable rent and healthy job market, KC ranks No. 5. Yahoo Finance, May 2017

Best Large City to Start a Business
According to WalletHub, the Kansas City region is one of the best large cities in the U.S. to start a business. The ranking is determined by key metrics, such as office-space affordability, five-year-business-survival rate and more. WalletHub, May 2017

No. 2 Best Job Market for 2017 College Grads
The Kansas City region is one of the best job markets for new college grads. With an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent and median rent of $850, Kansas City is the perfect place to start a career. ZipRecruiter, April 2017

Local Bar named The Best in MissouriBier Station is a clean and modern bar located between the Brookside and Waldo neighborhoods. Unlike most bars, guests at this hybrid bottle shop and beer bar enjoy a diverse beer list and natural light on the patio. Thrillist, April 2017

Millennials Thrive in Kansas and Missouri
Kansas and Missouri rank in the top 20 best states for millennials due to affordability, education and health, quality of life, economic health, and civic engagement. WalletHub, April 2017

Tax Day isn't so Painful in Missouri and KansasMissouri residents are in the top 10 and Kansas residents are among the top 20 states to experience a big bang for their buck for taxpayer ROI compared to the rest of the nation. WalletHub, April 2017

Best State for DoctorsAccording to WalletHub, Kansas ranks No. 5 best state for doctors in the U.S., making it a desirable location for doctors to practice. The key metrics include: average annual wage, hospitals per capita, quality of public hospital system, and more. WalletHub, April 2017

One of the Least Stressed StatesMissouri ranks among the top 20 least stressed states in the U.S. based on 33 key indicators of stress including average work hours, personal bankruptcy rate, and adequate sleep. WalletHub, April 2017

Crazy Ballpark Stadium FoodFor the 2017 MLB season, two KC ballpark foods are named by USA Today as the "craziest." The Sunrise Dog (No. 6) and Pulled Pork Patty Melt (No. 2) are perfect for Royals games at The K. USA Today, March 2017

One of the Top Hospitals in AmericaThe University of Kansas Health System is renowned for excellence and industry leaders in innovation, quality patient care and clinical research. They also rank No. 1 in Kansas and ranked nationally in 11 specialties. Becker's Hospital Review, March 2017

No. 2 City for Women in Tech
Kansas City is ranked No. 2 Best City for Women in Tech based on gender pay gap, income after housing cost, women as a percentage of the tech workforce, and four-year tech employment growth. SmartAsset, March 2017

Most Spectacular Theatre in the U.S.
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is first on the list, touting its shell shaped performance halls and 20-meter-high, glass-walled atrium overlooking picturesque views of Kansas City. Curbed, March 2017

Bronze Winning Healthy CityCity Health rated the 40-largest cities in the U.S. and awarded Kansas City gold in clean indoor air, silver for high-quality pre-kindergarten and an overall bronze medal for city health. City Health, March 2017

Live Large in KC
Kansas City is ranked as one of the best places to find a job, receive a good salary and buy a home, but best of all you can affordably "live large." Calculations for the stretch per dollar are based on salaries and home values. CNBC, February 2017

Home to a Very Important BeerAccording to 21 beer industry luminaries, Boulevard Brewing Company's Tank 7 is one of the "Most Important American Craft Beers Ever Brewed." Chicago Tribune, February 2017

Best Place to LiveKansas City ranks in the top 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S. based on its quality of life, value of living, job market, and more. U.S. News, February 2017

Underappreciated City You Should Move ToKansas City, Missouri is the "unlikely stomping ground of hip urbanites" looking for a lively "arts and cultural scene that rivals the Coasts," along with rock-bottom cost of living, free high speed internet, craft beer, flea markets, pop-ups, exhibits and more. Thrillist, February 2017

One of America's Most Artistic TownsKansas City's diverse and experimental arts scene changes the definition of Midwestern culture, with landmarks like the, Crossroads Arts District, First Fridays, Historical Southmoreland, Kansas City Art Institute, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, private collections, and more. Expedia, February 2017

KC is One of the Healthiest Cities in America
WalletHub evaluated 150 of the most populated cities in the U.S. based on 34 indicators of good health. The "data set ranges from 'cost of doctor visit' to 'fruit and vegetable consumption' to 'fitness clubs per capita.'" WalletHub, February 2017

Love is in the Air
Kansas City ranks No. 8 most romantic city in America. The results were determined by percentage of restaurants rated "romantic," percentage of tables seated for two, and the percentage of people that dined out on Valentine's Day. OpenTable, February 2017

Kansas City is "a Little Weird"
Kansas City is the No. 8 quirkiest city in America in part due to its museums and history. Outside the box experiences like the 1950s All-Electric House and Arabia Steamboad Museum are just a few reasons KC is on of America's favorite quirks. Travel + Leisure, January 2017

No. 5 in Outstanding ArchitectureOne of Kansas City's most beloved museums, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, is named one of 16 museums with outstanding architecture. The translucent glass of the Bloch Building lets in natural light by day and glows by night. Curbed, January 2017

10 Best Cities for Job Hunters in 2017
Fast Company names Kansas City No. 4 best city for career opportunities in 2017. Also provided is a list of the top five industries in KC: healthcare, automotive, retail, finance and insurance, business. Fast Company, January 2017

Top 25 Coolest Places to Visit with the KidsAmerica's largest edible landscape is at Powell Gardens near Kansas City, Missouri. Visitors can learn about nuts, grains fruits and vegetables, and even sample some produce. GoBankingRates, January 2017
Named a Top Winter Travel DestinationCome and get a taste of the city. Take a tour on a double decker bus, ride the streetcar, visit the Nelson-Atkin Museum of Art, and much more. USA Today, January 2017

Kansas City: Home of the Largest Home LotApproximately 7 percent of the Kansas City population lives on a minimum of 5 acres. Kansas City has "room to roam" and a cost of living that allows homeowners to do just that. LawnStarter, January 2017